Toledo Spain
The UNESCO World Heritage City of Toledo is a must for anyone visiting
central Spain.
The main attractions are the Cathedral, Alcazar and Jewish quarter where two of
Spain's few remaining synagogues are found. Artistically, Toledo was the home of
El Greco and you'll find many of his works inside the city's museums, galleries
and churches. The most famous is his great masterpiece El Entierro del Conde de
Orgaz (The Burial of Count Orgaz) in the Iglesia de Santo Tomé.
There is a fine transport system between Madrid and Toledo with many bus and
train links daily as well as scheduled coach excursions and private tours with
driver. There's so much to see that if time permits it's well worth spending a
night here in one of the city's ancient hotels and dining on local specialities
such as stewed partridge in a quaint, centuries old restaurant. If you're
heading south after Madrid and have your own transport or driver it's a good
idea to stay in Toledo then head toward Andalucia via the Don Quijote windmills
of Consuegra. A History of Toledo
The city's history can be traced way beyond the Romans but it was as under
the Roman Empire that Toletum was was developed as a strategically important
point standing in the geograpical centre of Roman Hispania.
The Visigoths moved their capital here in the 6th century and the Moors later
established Toledo as the Muslim capital of central Spain. In 1085 the city fell to Alfonso VI and the Vatican recognised Toledo as the
seat of the Catholic Church in Spain.
For a period of time Toledo's Christians, Jews and Muslims coexisted and the
city became known as 'the City of Three Cultures' until 1492 when the fall of
Granada to Fernando and Isabella (the Reyes Católicos or Catholic Monarchs) lead
to the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain unless they converted to
Christianity.
Today you can wander the many tiny streets of Toledo and see the many monuments
built throughout the fascinating history of the Imperial City. Nowhere else in
Spain will you see so many buildings of interest within such a small area. And
nowhere else in Spain are you more likely to get lost whilst wandering around
them! But don't worry, it's only a small city and you're never far from where
you want to be. Highlights of Toledo- Toledo Cathedral took over 250 years to build.
- The Alcazar is Toledo's imposing fortress.
- Synagogues of Santa Maria La Blanca and El Tránsito.
- Church of Santo Tomé houses El Greco's top masterpiece.
- San Juan de Los Reyes had been the planned burial place of the Reyes Catolicos
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